Why I would recommend eating Kimchi as a cancer doctor, all the benefits and nutrients involved

As a cancer doctor and a professor of nutrition I often get asked what are best foods for your health. Without hesitation, Kimchi would have to be near the top of the list. For those of you who aren't familiar with this unique Korean dish, Kimchi is made by cutting up Chinese leaf cabbage, carrots, onions then mixing with herbs such as chili, ginger and garlic. It's then left to ferment naturally which produces a wonderful blend of healthy lactobacillus bacteria.

There are different Kimchi recipes but they are all packed a wide variety of essential nutrients typical of a macrobiotic diet common in South East Asia. Kimchi is high in fibre, vitamins, essential minerals and phytochemical rich foods which give it the glorious colour, aroma and taste. Phytochemicals have enormous health benefits ranging from dampening down excess inflammation in the body, encouraging the production of anti-oxidant enzymes which protect our precious DNA from environmental and ingested toxins. They also slow the transport of sugar across the gut wall reducing the risk of diabetes, help joint cartilage repair and improve blood supply to the muscles and brain.

What's more, the phytochemicals in kimchi are broken down into small useable units by the lactobacillus bacteria, which allows them to be used by gut wall cells as energy. They also act as prebiotics which promote the growth and colonisation of lactobacillus in the gut. These "good" bacteria push out the unhealthy colonies which otherwise would cause excess inflammation and damage. The net result is a robust, strong, efficient gut.On the other hand, excess chronic inflammation of the gut wall, cause by over growth of "bad" bacteria will thin and damage the lining. In this situation, gaps between cells develop which allows partially digested food and other harmful organisms to penetrate into the body.

This reduced integrity, nick named leaky gut syndrome, allows toxins to leak into the bloodstream and minerals, vitamins (especially vitamin D) and proteins to leak out into the gut depriving the body of essential nutrients. What is more, an inflamed gut, weakens the Payers Patches (areas which make our immune cells) so our ability to recognise and attack pathogenic infective agents and early cancer cells diminishes, increasing the risk of food poisoning and cancer.

People living with poor gut health (dysbiosis) are more likely to suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, histamine and other food intolerances, ulcers and constipation. It is well known that, runners are more likely to get diarrhoea and lose valuable training days from catching more colds and flu, so have reduced sports performance.Recent evidence has emerged that poor gut health is linked to more severe consequences of covid, have more side effects after flu and covid vaccinations. In terms of cancers throughout the body, people are less likely to respond to the newer targeted and cancer treatments which recruit the bodies immunity to fight the cancer and have more side effects from chemotherapy. They are more likely to experience adverse effect from hormone therapies and studies are suggesting that those with established cancer are more likely to progress faster and become resistant to treatments earlier.

Gut inflammation, spills over to the rest of the body causing fatigue, low mood and demotivation to make other healthy lifestyle choices further exacerbating the issues. Over time, it leads to an increased risk of weight gain, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, heart disease, osteoporosis, premature aging and many more chronic degenerative diseases.

I hope this article has convinced you that Kimchi is a real superfood but it's not on its own. Other bacteria rich foods that enhance the gut microbiome include live yogurt (Kefir), some aged cheeses, miso soup, tempeh, sauerkraut, wine vinegar and even a good quality probiotic supplement. Foods which assist bacterial growth, known as prebiotics, mentioned above include the phytochemicals in herbs, vegetables and spices, as well as wholesome foods such as beans, mushrooms, whole fruit and artichokes.

Enthusiasts can make kimchi themselves, but with the increasing interest in gut health in the UK, ready-made pots can be easy found in many shops and online outlets. You can add Kimchi to salads, use as a relish with cheese, put in a hamburger or just add a tablespoon with your breakfast or lunch. No matter how we eat it, what's important is that we aim to consume some everyday alongside other healthy foods and lifestyle factors, this will help to support the trillions of friendly bacteria in our guts which have such a profound effect on our current well being and future health.